Selectmen push health care 'town meeting'

ALTON — Selectmen plan on holding a town meeting next week around the topic of health care, that is, if representatives from Washington and the State House can make it.

Board members have put forth a group effort in having this town meeting and have contacted Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Judd Gregg as well as House Representatives Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes.

The meeting is tentatively set to begin sometime between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at the Prospect Mountain High School.

According to Alton Selectman Pat Fuller, the representatives promised that they would have face-to-face town meetings during their August breaks to talk about what is happening in Washington, but only a few have followed through.

"We want to get it out there that we have been left out of the loop," said Fuller. "I hope a majority of people will attend this meeting and we can have constructive dialogue about the health care bills happening before congress."

She said that there are some people who are afraid on how this federal health care is going to be funded and whether it will become a single-payer system as in Canada. Other rumors are floating around, such as some believe that the elderly will have less service and the government will have the final say on who gets what type of heath care.

The entire Board of Selectmen believe that this meeting is necessary and the meeting is pending the official's commitment to come this meeting.

"If they feel that this is an important enough issue, they will make the time to come and talk with us," Fuller said.

As of now, Gregg indicted that he will appear and Shaheen would send a representative. The Alton Board of Selectmen will be sending out more information about the meeting at the weekend approaches. The Board gave representatives until Monday at 12 p.m. to let it if they plan on attending. If the meeting will definitely be held, the Board will announce it to the public.

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